Team Aruba At Indy

By John DiBartolomeo September 11, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Sept. 11, 2018): Like any true drag racer, Trevor Eman and Team Aruba dreamt of racing on the biggest stage the sport has to offer. Their successful saga with Mountain Motor Pro Stock (MMPS) has never crossed paths with this revered event - until now. The National Hot Rod Association invited a select few MMPS teams to make exhibition runs at the 2018 U.S. Nationals. Team Aruba was one of the privileged attendees, possibly forever changing the course of their racing endeavors.

“It was one of the greatest honors of my career to be invited to the U.S. Nationals,” stated driver Trevor Eman. “It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we’re very grateful to have been extended the invitation. Simply being on the grounds of Lucas Oil Raceway was electrifying and to race there was an experience I’ll never forget.”

“I cannot put in words how exciting this past weekend was for us,” added team owner, Ven Eman. “Can you imagine coming from our small island of Aruba to race with NHRA at the U.S. Nationals? This is a lifelong dream coming true. We were able to put our One Happy Island on drag racing’s biggest stage.”

The inclusion of MMPS in NHRA’s grandest event went beyond simple exhibition. NHRA said in a public statement that this move was to investigate the possibility of incorporating MMPS with their traditional 500 cu.in. Pro Stocks.

“The eight of us [MMPS racers] there put on a good show,” Eman offered. “We debuted our brand new 2018 Jerry Haas-built Aruba.com Mustang and were very pleased with our results. We’re excited to see what else this awesome machine will do.”

Eman ran a best of 6.38 at 220 miles per hour in his first passes out with the car.

“I think it looked real good,” Haas said of the Mustang. “They will run real good, especially with more laps on the car.”

Haas, who is a staunch supporter of the NHRA program, went on to say, “All the eight cars that were there said they were treated with hospitality. In turn, NHRA thought they put on a good show. They’re evaluating it to see what comes in the future. Hopefully something will come of it.”

“To know that we may be part of changing the course of Pro Stock is a responsibility and privilege we do not take lightly,” added Eman. “We want to thank NHRA for giving us this opportunity. We also want to extend a special thank you to all that put this great weekend together. Without our loyal partners AAA Aruba and Aruba Tourism Authority this would never have happened. We also want to thank all the individuals who helped make this happen, including Jerry Haas, John Montecalvo, John Nobile, and Richard Freeman.”